Distributor



R. E. WHITE May 15, 1951 DISTRIBUTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1947 INVENTOR. 251 l/jzza, BY V 064% Haw? ATTORNEYQ R. E. WHITE May 15, 1951 DISTRIBUTOR '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1947 II LVENTORH 6% 0/65;

ATTORNEY.

R. E. WHITE 2,552,609

DISTRIBUTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 15, 1951 Filed March 7, 1947 INVENTOR. a m-d 6 am BY ATTORNEY.

0041 Q. Am

Patented May 15, 1951 DISTRIBUTOR Raymond Edgar White, Sidney, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 7, 1947, Serial No. 733,233

This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to current generating and distributing devices adapted for use in ignition systems of internal combustion engines or the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel apparatus of the above type which is specially adapted for but not limited to use in a high frequency condenser discharge ignition system.

Another object of the invention. is to provide novel apparatus for generating electrical energy in a manner readily adapted for use in ignition systems of modern aircraft engines having large numbers of cylinders.

Still. another object is to provide novel apparatus for distributing electrical energy in a predetermined manner to a plurality of loads of'points of use.

A further object is to provide novel current distributing means which is so constructed. as to be compact without introducing danger of flashovers and pro-ignition.

A still further object is to provide novel means in an ignition unit of the above type wherein the electrical wiring is simplified and wherein electronic units are novelly mounted for mechanical support and electrical connection.

Another object is to provide a novelly constructed magnetogenerator wherein a permanent magnet is so installed as to facilitate recharging thereof.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however,that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being bad primarily to the appended claims.

1 In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

- Fig. l is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away illustrating one form of current generating and distributing apparatus embodying the present invention;

is a diagrammatic illustration of the magnetic circuit of the current generating means of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a casting which may be employed in the construction of the distributor block;

1 7 Claims. (Cl. 200--24) poles of the other.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation illustrating the completed distributor block and showing the relative positions of the brushes of the distributor rotor;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line G5 of Fig. 5, and showing the distributor rotor in dotted lines;

Fig. 7 is an elevation view, on a reduced scale, of a mounting and wiring plate with the cover removed;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view looking from the right in Fig. 1 and schematically indicating the electrical circuit; and

Fig. 9 is a detail View, partly in section, illustrating the mounting and electrical connections for an electronic tube.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, by way of example, in the form of a unit comprising a relatively low voltage magnetogenerator, an ignition distributor and tim ing control elements electrically and mechanically associated with each other in a novel manner, said control elements comprising electronic means novelly mounted in the unit. The supporting structure of said unit includes a frame member it (partly broken away) adapted to be secured to an engine casing, or the like, in any known manner, and a member I i, the two members being secured together by a plurality of stud bolts I2. A shaft l3 is rotatably supported by bearings I l and I5 in the frame members and is adapted to be rotatably driven by the engine through a splined sleeve [6.

The novel magnetogenerator comprehended by the invention is adapted, in spite of its small size, to generate a relatively large number of current alternations or surges during each revolution of shaft it. The particular structure illustrated produces 14 flux reversals through the coil per revolution of the shaft, and, when the latter is driven at one-half engine speed, sufficient current impulses are generated to supply ignition for a 14 cylinder four cycle engine. The flux divider or rotor ll comprises two laminated sleeve or rings I8 and I9 axially spaced on shaft l3 by non-magnetic means and suitably secured against axial and angular movement relative to the shaft. The periphery of each of said flux conducting rings is formed to provide seven radial projections or poles (Fig. 2) and. the poles of one ring alternate chcumferentially with the A larger or smaller number of such projections may be provided, depending on the particular use to which the unit is to be put.

Below rotor ll there is mounted in frame member ill a pair of stationary, preferably laminated, pole shoes 22 and 23, the upper concave surfaces of which are in flux conducting proximity to and have the same curvature as the outer surfaces of rings l8 and [9, respectively. A bar magnet 24 is mounted between the free ends of stator pole shoes 22 and 23 so that one shoe contacts the north pole of the magnet and the other shoe contacts the south pole. With the magnet mounted in this novel manner a coil of wire may be wound around it for the purpose of remagnetizing the same or remagnetizing may be effected by contacting the poles 22, 23 with the poles of another magnet.

Mounted above the rotor H is a transformer coil 25 having a primary winding P and secondary windings 69 (Fig. 8) Wound on a laminated core 26 which is secured to frame member [9 by studs 21 with the ends thereof in magnetic contact with the upper ends of a pair of pole shoes 28 and 29. The latter are fixedly mounted in frame member H1 in any suitable manner known to the art and each extends into magnetic flux conducting relation with both rings [8 and 19 of rotor H. When the rotor is in a position such that pole 28 is adjacent a projection on sleeve IS, the pole 29 is opposite a projection on sleeve I9. Upon rotation of the rotor through one-fourteenth of a revolution from that position, pole shoe 2%! will cooperate with ring I!) and pole 29 will cooperate with ring I8. Thus, with the rotor in any one of seven equally spaced positions, the magnetic lines of flux flow from the north pole of magnet 24 through stator pole 23, rotor sleeve l9, pole shoe 29 and back to the south pole of the magnet through core 26, pole shoe 23, rotor sleeve l8 and stator pole 22. With the rotor in any of seven other or intermediate positions, the lines of magnetic flux flow in the opposite direction through the coil, that is, from the north pole of the magnet through stator pole 23, sleeve l9, pole shoe 28, core 26, pole shoe 29, rotor sleeve l8 and stator shoe 22. Pole shoes 23 and 29 are preferably divided into two or more branches adjacent the rotor in order to cooperate with more than one projection on each of the flux conducting sleeves l8 and I9. However, one shoe on each of these poles may be sufficient. If desired, the second set of said pole shoes may be connected with the core of another coil and thus provide a dual magneto. The foregoing subject matter is described and claimed in my divisional application Number 67,791, filed December 29, 1948.

In a manner well understood in the art, the magnetic lines of flux, thus caused to flow through coil 25, effect the flow of electrical current in the primary winding P of the coil. The circuit which includes said primary winding comprises a circuit breaker 30 (Fig. 8) operated by a rotatable cam 3| for periodically opening said circuit in ac cordance with known practices. The opening of the primary circuit at opportune moments causes a sudden collapse of the magnetic field around coil 25 and hence the induction of current fiow at a higher voltage in a secondary winding of the coil which is connected in an ignition circuit in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described.

Novel current distributing means are provided in combination with the above described energy generating means for distributing the electrical energy induced in the secondary windings of coil 25 to spark plugs in a plurality of engine cylinders, said distributing means being novelly so constructed and connected with the source of energy that a large number of spark plugs firing in rapid succession may be supplied through a relatively small distributor without material danger of undesirable flashovers which tend to occur particularly at high altitudes and cause preignition in the cylinders. In the form shown, the distributor means comprises a stationary insulating block 32 surrounding shaft l3 and a finger or rotor 33 of insulating material mounted on shaft l3 for rotation therewith.

The construction of distributor block 32 is best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 as comprising a molded insulating block 34 having three concentric rings of arcuate contacts 35, 36 and 31 projecting from one face thereof. The total number of contacts in the two inner rings (14 are shown but more or less may be provided) represents the number of spark plugs or other such loads served by the distributor, and each of these contacts 35 and 36 is provided with a terminal boss 38 and 39, re spectively, which extends through block 34 for connection with an outgoing cable 48. In the present embodiment, the outer ring consistsof seven live segments 31 which alternate with seven longer segments 4! which are not in any electrical circuit but serve to mechanically bridge the live segments. Contact segments 31 are all electrically connected together by a wire ring 42 or the like. which is embedded in block 34 and has electrical contact with projections 43 on segments 3?. At least one of the latter has a terminal boss 44 (Fig. 3) by which ring 42 may be connected to the source of energy.

In the construction of the distributor block, a metal casting illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is first prepared and the ring 42 is placed thereon. The casting comprises a fiat disc-like annular portion 45 with the terminal bosses 38, 39, 44 and projections 43 extending in an axial direction therefrom. The disc is radially slotted at equal intervals, such as at 66, and has projections 4'! thereon which serve to anchor segments 4| in the insulatin block of the finished structure. The insulating material 34 is molded around the casting of Fig. 3 and the projecting face or disc portion thereof is then out along the circular grooves S8 to form three rings which are in turn out along seven equally spaced radial grooves ie to formthe segments heretofore described. A sturdy and reliable structure embodying a large number of parts is thus simply and inexpensively constructed. Block 32 may be mounted in frame member I l by means of a plurality of studs which engage internally threaded inserts in the block.

The distributor rotor 33 comprises a block of insulating material molded around a sleeve 5i which is in turn keyed to shaft [3. A pair of carbon brushes 2, slidably extend through passages in one end of rotor 33, the former being adapted to engage the outer ring of segments 32', 4!, and the latter being adapted to engage the inner ring of segments 35. The free ends of said brushes have small coil springs 54 secured thereto and connected by a stiff conducting bridge 55, the center portion of which is connected to an extension spring 56 that is in turn suitably anchored in rotor 33. Thus, the brushes are resiliently held in engagement with their respective contact segments. A second pair of similar y mounted brushes 5'! and 58 (the latter being shown diagrammatically only in Figs. 5 and 6) at the other end of rotor 3-3 serve to connect aasaeoc.

the outer ring of contact segments 31 with the middle, ring of" segments 36.

The pairs of brushes. 52', 53 and 51, 58- are so arranged as best seen from the dotted line positimes indicated in Fig. 5, that whenever current flows to input terminal 44 only one of the two outermost brushes 52 and 5'! is in contact with a live segment 31, the other being at that time in contact with a dead or disconnected segment 41. Current is thus supplied alternately through the two sets of brushes, and hence, alternately to the contacts in the two inner rings of se ments 35 and 35. Preferably, only one of the two brushes 52 and 5'! is in contact with a segment 3'! at any given instant.

Novel means are also provided in combination with the above structure for simplifying the electrical Wiring and mounting of the elements incorporated in the ignition system of which the magneto-distributor means described above are part.- As illustrated, said means include a panel 683 of insulating material secured in position on the frame Iii, H by any suitable means such as bolts l2. Said panel 60 comprises a base'plate 6| (Fig. 7) and a cover 62 (Fig. 1) cemented thereon, the plate having recesses and grooves in the covered face thereof for receiving a plurality of contact elements 5-3 and connecting wires therefor, as best seen in Fig. '7. Panel iii has a large opening 64 out in the center thereof and the circuit breaker 3i and a contactor or circuit maker 65 are conveniently mounted on frame member H in said opening for operation by the fourteen lobe cam 3| which is mounted on the free end of shaft l3.

Mounted in a novel manner on the back of the upper left corner of panel 69, as viewed in Fig. 8, is a full wave rectifier 65 which has its input terminals 6! and 68 connected to opposite ends of the secondary winding 63 of coil 25, said windin being center tapped to ground at Hi. The alternating current generated in secondary winding 69 is thus converted into a unidirectional current at the output or plate terminal H of the rectifier. The latter preferably comprises a hollow metallic envelope '72 in which the operative elements are mounted. Suitable leads, such as lead 13, from said elements extend through a seal in the bottom of the envelope in accordance with known practice.

In order to simplify the electrical connections to-the rectifier tube 56 and to provide a suitable mounting therefore, said tube is secured to a recessed block '14 of insulating material by means of an internally flanged sleeve if) that engages the shoulder 16 on said block and a flange 'l'! on the tube. A wavy spring washer "i8 is preferably interposed between flange H and .block W. Molded into the closed end of the block is a terminal insert 79 for each electrical connection to the tube. Each of said inserts has an opening in which a lead or terminal wire, such as 13, is soldered or otherwise suitably secured, and a threaded opening for receiving a combined terminal and mounting stud 61. The studs 6! eX- tend through panel 66 and serve as electrical terminals, as well as mechanical means for securing the tube and its mounting on panel (i i. When a connection internally of the panel is to be made, terminal stud 61 is electrically connected with an element 63 through a lock washer 80. If an external connection is to be made, the end of the external cable is merely connected with the head of stud Gl-or other similar stud in any well 6 known manner, such as in the manner. illustrated at 8| (Fig. l).

In the embodiment illustrated, output terminal ii of the rectifier tube is internally connected through a lead 82 to one side of a storage condenser 83, the other side of which is grounded at 84. Condenser 83 i installed in a cylindrical casing which is held firmly in position by a bracket member 85 that is integral with frame member II and forms a cradle therewith for receiving the condenser casing. The terminal of the condenser extends through an opening 86 in panel (56 into which extends the tongue of an element 63 mounted in the panel.

The output terminal H of the rectifier is also connected through an internal lead 87 to the anode terminal 88 of a gaseous discharge tube or electronic valve 89 which may be mounted on panel 60 in the same manner as the rectifier. The grid terminal 90 of the discharge tube is connected byanexternal lead 9! to one contact III of contactor 65 and by an internal lead 92 to a terminal 93 of a special unit 94 which may be conveniently called RCL unit. The latter includes a grid stabilizing resistor 95 between terminals 93 and 95, a grid charging resistor 97 and a grid condenser 98 in series between terminals 96 and 99, a grid current limiting resistor I90 in series with resistor oi between terminals 9d and lill, and a reactance coil H12 between terminals 96 and I03, the latter terminals being externally connected to ground through a conducting strip I04 and a mounting bolt l2. Terminal 99 isv connected by internal leads 82 and ms to the output terminal of the rectifier and terminal [BI is connected by an external lead Hi6- to the other contact of contactor E5. The remaining terminal I03 of unit 94 is internally connected by lead ID! to the cathode terminal I08 of the electronic valve 89 which latter terminal is in turn connected by an external lead N19 to the input contact segments 31 of the distributor heretofore described.

The circuit breaker 30 may be constructed in accordance with the disclosure of Shoemaker et al. Patent No. 1,866,492. When the spring mounted follower H6 rides up on a lobe of cam 3i, it is effective to lift the upper spring mounted contact of the breaker away from the lower fixed ly mounted contact and thereby break the primary circuit of the magneto, Contactor 65 is similarly constructed, except that the fixed contact is replaced by a spring mounted contact I I I, the outward (downward, as viewed in Fig. 8)

movement of which is limited by a stop H2 and the inward (upward) movement is yieldably resisted by a spring H3. Thus, when the spring mounted follower H4 is on a lobe of the cam, the contacts are separated. As the follower rides down into a valley of the cam, the contacts ongage thereby closing the circuit and causing the spring or flexible arm on which contact III is mounted to move away from stop H2. Since the contacts are then free to move as a unit, any danger of one bouncing relative to the other at high operating speeds is virtually eliminated.

In operation, each time the points or contacts of circuit breaker 39 are operated by cam 3| which is driven at one half engine speed with shaft is, a surge of current i induced in one of the secondary windings 69 and passes through rectifier as to uni-directionally charge condensers 83 and 98, the flow of current to the latter being restricted by resistor 91. At this time the electronic valve 89 is non conductive. Thereafter,

when it is desired to fire one of the spark plugs H5, the cam permits the points or contacts of contactor 65 to close thereby permitting condenser 98 to discharge through the grid circuit of the electronic valve 89 and thereby render the latter conductive to the charge on storage condenser 83. The latter accordingly discharges acros the anode and cathode of tube 89 through the distributor in the manner heretofore fully described and thence through the primary winding H6 of a transformer coil, the secondary winding l I! of which is connected in series with the spark plug H5. The reactance coil I02 is provided for preventing damage to discharge tube 89 in the event of a short in the output circuit thereof.

There is thus provided a novelly constructed, compact unit for generating and distributing high frequency current impulses at timed intervals to a plurality of spark plugs in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. Said unit is a novel combination embodying novel generating means, novel current distributing means and novel simplified means for mounting and connecting the more or less fragile electronic tubes and other elements which may form a part of a high frequency ignition system.

Although only a single embodiment of the in vention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing specification, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. For example, if it is desired to do so, the contactor 55 may be placed in circuit between the storage condenser 83 and the input terminal 44 of the distributor, thereby eliminating discharge tube 89 and the RCL unit 9 1. Other types of rectifiers, such as selenium rectifiers may be used. Variou other changes could also be made, particularly in the specific construction, design, and arrangement of parts illustrated, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Electrical current distributing apparatus comprising a stationary block of insulating material having a plurality of concentric rings of electrically conductive material embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, one of said rings being divided into two sets of segments and one of said sets constituting input segments, and the other of said rings being divided into output segments of a number equal to the number of said input segments, means embedded in said block for electrically connecting said set of input segments together, means carried by said block and connected with said connecting means providing for connection of the latter with a source of electrical current, and a rotatably mounted rotor of insulating material having carbon brush means slidably engaged with said rings and adapted to successively connect said input segments with successive output segments during rotation of said rotor.

2. Electrical current distributing apparatus comprising a stationary block of insulating material having a plurality of concentric rings of electrically conductive material embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, one ofsaid rings bein divided into two sets of segments, the segments of one set constituting input segments and alternating with the segments of the other set, and the other of said rings being divided into output segments of a number equal 8, to the number of said input segments, each of the segments of said two sets being formed with projections that are embedded in said block, and each of said output segments being formed with terminal bases that are embedded in said block' and exposed at the opposite face thereof, an annular member of electrically conductive material embedded in said block and engaged with the projections of said input segments for electrically connecting said input segments together, a terminal boss on one of said input segments and exposed at the opposite face of said block for connecting said annular member with a source of electrical current, and a rotatably mounted rotor of insulating material having carbon brush means slidably engaged with said rings and adapted to successively connect said input segments with successive output segments during rotation of said rotor.

3. Electrical current distributing apparatus comprising a stationary block of insulating mate-' rial having a plurality of concentric rings of electrically conductive material embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, one of said rings being divided into two sets of alternately arranged long and short segments, said short segments constituting input segments andsaid long segments solely serving to mechanically bridge said short segments, and the other of said rings being divided into output segments of a number equal to the number of said input or short segments, means embedded in said block for electrically connecting said short segments together, means carried by said block and connected with said connectin means providing for connection of the latter with a source of electrical current, and a rotatably mounted rotor of insulating material having carbon brush means slidably engaged with said rings and adapted to successively connect said short segments with successive output segments during rotation of said rotor.

4.. Electrical current distributing apparatus comprising a block of insulating material having three concentric rings of electrically conductive material embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, the inner and intermediate rings being divided into an equal number of output segments, and the outer ring being divided into an equal number of short input segments and an equal number of long segments arranged between said short segments and solely serving to mechanically bridge the latter, means embedded in said block for electrically connecting said input segments together, means carried by said block and connected with said connecting means providing for connection of the latter with a source of electrical current, and a rotatably mounted rotor of insulating material having carbon brush means slidably engaged with said outer and intermediate rings and other carbon brush means slidably engaged with said outer and inner rings, said brush means bein adapted to successively connect said input segments with successive output segments of said inner and intermediate rings alternately during rotation of said rotor.

5. In a unit for receiving electrical current from a source thereof and distributing the same to a plurality of discharge points, a block of insulating material having embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, a first set of spaced segments arranged in a circular pattern and constituting output segments, a second set of spaced segments having twice as many segments as said first set arranged in a circular pattern concentric with and radially spaced from said first set, alternate segments of said second set constituting input segments and the other segments thereof serving solely to mechanically bridge the spaces between said input segments, and means embedded in the block for electrically connecting said input segments.

6. ma unit for receiving electrical current from a source thereof and distributing the same to a plurality of discharge points, a block of insulating material having embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, a first set of spaced metallic segments arranged in a circular pattern, a second set of spaced metallic segments surrounding said first set in spaced relation, said first and second sets of segments being of equal number and constituting output segments, a third set of alternately arranged long and short metallic segments of equal number corresponding to the number of segments in said first and second sets and surrounding said second set in spaced relation, said short segments constituting input segments and said long segments serving solely to mechanically bridge said short segments, said segments being so arranged that a segment of said first and second sets and a long and short segment of said third set are in radial alignment, and means embedded in the block for electrically connecting said input segments.

'7. In a unit for receiving electrical current from a source thereof and distributing the same to a plurality of discharge points, a block of insulating material having embedded therein and projecting from one face thereof, a first set of spaced metallic segments arranged in a circular pattern, a second set of spaced metallic segments surrounding said first set in spaced relation, said first and second sets of segments being of equal number and constituting output segments, and a third set of alternately arranged long and short metallic segments of equal number corresponding to the number of segments in said first and second sets and surrounding said second set in spaced relation, said short segments constituting input segments and said long segments serving solely to mechanically bridge said short segments, said segments being so arranged that a segment of said first and second sets and a long and short segment of said third set are in radial alignment, a terminal boss on each of the segments of said first and second sets embedded in said block and exposed at the opposite face thereof, projections on each of the segments of said third set and embedded in said block, a metallic band embedded in said block and contacting the projections on said short segments, and a terminal boss on one of said short segments embedded in said block and exposed at the opposite side thereof.

RAYMOND EDGAR WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,463,453 Werner July 31, 1923 1,690,232 Kuhn Nov. 6, 1928 2,074,397 Israel Mar. 23, 1937 2,150,376 Keating Mar. 14, 1939 2,251,326 Cullin Aug. 5, 1941 2,291,652 Rose Aug. 4, 1942 2,322,994 Alessandri June 29, 1943 

